


we tangled with loki (but lived to tell the tale!)

by mischievous



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Trek Fusion, And Tony keeps the ship running, Everyone had a role in my head, Gen, Natasha's badass in any universe, Of course Steve's the captain, With Bruce's help because they're science bros, but not everyone made it into the fic, he's flying the ship!, sorry clint :(
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 07:46:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13476906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mischievous/pseuds/mischievous
Summary: one-shot ficlet for a prompt over at comment_fic:MCU (Avengers'verse), ensemble,the Avengers Initiative operates out of Starfleet.





	we tangled with loki (but lived to tell the tale!)

" _Captain's Log, Stardate 41214.6. Following our encounter with the Asgardian scouts, Lieutenant Commander Stark has almost completed repairs to the ship and we remain on course for Starfleet Headquarters. We are due to rendezvous with Admiral Fury in three days, although our estimated arrival time is almost a full day before. I look forward to being able to give the crew some time to enjoy themselves on Earth before we leave for our next mission._ "

Captain Steve Rogers leans back in his chair as he finishes dictating the brief log entry and picks up his glass of water to take a sip. He'll admit he's more than a little curious about what Fury wants from him and his crew, but he's also in no rush to arrive and force the conversation.

He taps at his padd, pulling up the latest reports from their skirmish with the Asgardians. Tony Stark, his chief engineer, is a genius but he doesn't play well with others. Recruiting Bruce Banner to his crew as their chief science officer last year made a world of difference to all of them, mostly because Tony seems to regard him as the brother he never had and volunteers to work with him unprompted.

If Steve could turn back time he'd requisition Bruce a thousand times over for that one fact alone. Four of the six reports currently waiting for him are from the two of them and he can't help but be impressed, as he always is, by the volume of work they do together.

The door to the ready room chimes and he says, "Come in," unsurprised to see his first officer enter.

"Romanov," he says, waving Natasha towards a seat as he sets the padd down. "Report."

"Stark says the engines are holding. Repairs are almost completed. And Banner's almost done analysing the Asgardians tech. He's down in Engineering with Stark. Amongst other things, the two of them are working on a defence against the Asgardian weapons if we encounter them again. It seems to be coming along, but you know I can only follow about a tenth of their conversation."

"You, me and just about everyone else," Steve agrees wryly. "I'm hoping we won't need it any time soon, but Loki seems hellbent on fighting this out."

"Maybe the other one can control him," Natasha says, although she doesn't sound particularly hopeful.

After their first contact with Thor, they hadn't expected trouble with the Asgardian people, but Thor seems to be the exception not the rule. The other two scout ships they encountered on their way out of Asgardian space -- one captained by Loki, the other by a female named Sif -- preferred to shoot first and talk second.

Natasha's comm-badge chirps, interrupting them, followed by a familiar voice saying, "Banner to Romanov."

"Romanov here. Go ahead, Doctor."

"Tony and I think we've found a weakness in their cloaking technology," Bruce says, in the warm-voiced straight-to-the-point fashion he tends to favour. It's one of the reasons Natasha generally gets along with him as well as she does. "We're sending the data to Captain Rogers' console and to yours for review."

"Excellent work, Doctor," Steve says, cutting into the conversation as Natasha pulls up the report. "My compliments to you and Lieutenant Commander Stark."

Bruce thanks him and cuts the connection. Natasha is already studying the data on the screen, her expression thoughtful as she traces several lines of data.

"Their cloaking tech shares a lot of characteristics with the Romulans," she says, tapping the section she's referring to. "Only it's about half as efficient."

"The Asgardian scouts have better weapons," Steve points out. "Maybe they figure having the ability to hide isn't as important. Or maybe they just don't consider themselves the hiding type."

"Ignoring your defences is a fast way to die," Natasha says, leaning back as she folds her arms. "You're the one who tells me that fighting isn't always the answer."

"And I stand by it," Steve agrees, "But I think the Asgardians would argue the point. Have we had any luck reaching Thor on comms?"

Natasha shakes her head. "Not yet. Engineering's trying to extend our range and we're broadcasting on all frequencies, but no response." She sighs. "He really shouldn't be out of range yet. Maybe he's ignoring us."

"Possible," Steve allows, "But it seems unlikely. Maybe he's unable to respond."

"Which can't mean anything good."

Steve sighs but nods. She's not wrong.

"Have them keep trying. We still have a couple more days before we reach Starfleet Headquarters and I'd like something positive to tell the Admiral when we get there."

Steve had been Fury's first officer before Fury earned a promotion to Admiral and Steve took command of the Avenger. He respects his former captain even if he doesn't always fully trust him. Fury plays everything close to his chest and it's been the source of more than one argument between them, both then and now.

"Any indication of what he wants?" Natasha asks. She'd taken the promotion to first officer when Steve took command, and she's as familiar as he is with Fury's methods.

Steve gives her a _look_ and she rolls her eyes in response, acknowledging the stupidity of the question.

_Of course not. That would be too easy._

"Never mind," she sighs. "I know better. Any thoughts on what it could be?"

Steve shakes his head. "I did think they might send us to check on Deep Space 12 since I know they're having problems, but I talked to Bucky this morning and that's where he's heading, so it seems unlikely."

Bucky's promotion to Captain came earlier than Steve's, taking him away from the Avenger to his own command and leaving Steve to step into his former role as Fury's first officer. He doesn't often get to see Bucky now and he misses his childhood friend, but there's a large part of him that's grateful this ship is _his_.

After so long working on this ship, with these people, starting over entirely with a new command hadn't appealed to him at all.

"If that'll be all, sir?" Natasha asks, already rising to her feet, intending to detour to Engineering before she retakes command of the bridge.

Steve waves her towards the door, turning his attention back to the screen.

"Dismissed, Commander."

The doors swish closed behind her and Steve's left alone.

-

"I'm just saying that if we increase power to the long-range transmitters _this_ way, then--"

"Then we'll probably blow up the whole ship?"

"But we might make contact before we do!"

Bruce snorts at the optimism as he leans against the console holding Tony's most recent calculations. "Probably still not worth it as far as the captain's concerned," he points out, ignoring Tony's pout. "You could wait until we get to Headquarters."

"Because blowing up HQ is better?" Tony arches an eyebrow in amusement. "I know it's not your favourite place, Brucie, but--"

"But then at least we'd still have a ship to run away in," Bruce finishes.

His smile is amused, if a little sardonic, but he can see Tony's eyes glaze over as he runs through calculations in his mind and knows he better put a stop to this line of thought before Tony actually runs with it.

"Still, not a good idea," he says, eyeing Tony seriously to drive his point home. "We need to come up with something else."

"We're out of 'something else'," Tony sighs, looking frustrated. "He should be responding. How far away can he be?"

"We have no data on the Asgardians warp systems or any other method they use to travel. Maybe they're capable of greater distances than we are?"

"Maybe," Tony says. "If they are, I'd like to get a look at that tech."

"You and me both," Bruce agrees. "But history indicates they'd be more likely to shoot us out of the sky than share any information."

"Unless we can get hold of Thor. Full circle." Tony rubs his eyes, tired from the all-nighter they pulled trying to figure this out. "I need coffee."

"We both need food first," Bruce points out. Tony is notorious for skipping meals and pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion, but Bruce likes to think he's slightly more sensible. "We could get dinner in the mess?"

"Is it even an actual mealtime right now?"

"We've been down here for nearly thirty six hours," Bruce points out. "Does it matter?"

Tony rolls his eyes but if there's one thing he's learnt about Bruce in the time they've known each other, it's that when he decides to insist on something, he sticks with it. It's something Tony both enjoys and hates about his now-best friend.

"Fine," he grouches, shutting his console down as he gets up, groaning as his muscles protest. "Let's get food and then we can get back to it."

Bruce nods in agreement, even though his eyes feel as if they're full of sand and he's contemplating a quick visit to Helen Cho in Sickbay for something that'll keep him on his feet for another twelve hours.

"Food and then rest, boys," Natasha Romanov's no-nonsense tone interrupts them. When they turn, she's standing behind them, sleek and dangerous. "It'll do us no good whatsoever to have our leading Asgardian experts collapse from lack of sleep and poor nutrition."

Tony's opening his mouth to protest when she adds, "That's an _order_ , Stark."

Tony might be stupid enough to argue with Romanov but Bruce certainly isn't. He can't deny that the idea of a few hours of actual sleep is appealing. Even more than the food he logically knows he needs.

"There's a lot left to analyse," Tony protests, but it's half-hearted and Bruce already knows Natasha's won this one.

"And it will still be there later," Natasha says, crossing her arms as she regards them darkly. "Let's go."

Bruce saves the rest of their work as Tony sulks towards the exit. Natasha waits for him, half-turning to keep Tony in her line of sight, and Bruce allows himself to be escorted out of Engineering. Natasha gestures them into a turbolift and sets the mess hall as their destination.

The three senior officers briefly draw the attention of the other crew members but they soon lose interest. The USS Avenger may be a battleship armed with every conceivable weapon Starfleet could throw at her but she's still a small ship, with a crew of just a hundred. Most of them are tenured, having worked for Fury before Steve, and they no longer stand on ceremony.

Natasha walks the two of them through collecting their food and Tony's coffee -- Bruce opts for tea, although it's never as good from the replicator as when he makes his own -- and then over to a table. She waits for them to sit down before she leans on the edge of the table and says firmly, "I don't want to see either of you in Engineering for a full six hours, preferably twelve."

"Six _hours_!" Tony protests. "I don't need that much sleep!"

Bruce stays quiet, forcing himself to take a bite of his stew. The food is good but he's almost too tired to eat, even though this was originally his idea.

"Six hours, Lieutenant," Natasha says firmly, ignoring Tony's muttered _Lieutenant Commander_. Her gaze slides to encompass Bruce. "Do I have to lock you both in your quarters to ensure compliance? Because I'm sure Lieutenant Commander Coulson would be happy to post security outside if I asked."

"Probably not worth it, Commander," Bruce says honestly, sighing as he pushes his food away. "Waste of resources if he's determined to leave."

He indicates Tony with his head, trying to keep his eyes from closing. Now that he's stopped long enough to realise it, he's entirely exhausted. If he could call for a transport to his quarters, he would, just to save walking.

"I know every inch of this ship," Tony points out to Natasha, dark eyes flashing with challenge. "Do you think I couldn't get out of my quarters if I wanted to?"

"Tony," Bruce warns, because Natasha is starting to look irritated and an irritated Natasha is never one he wants to tangle with. "It's just six hours and, honestly, I could use the sleep. My brain's scrambled."

Tony pouts at him but subsides. Bruce knows Tony will push and push when he feels like it, but he doesn't want to see harm come to either of them and clearly believes that Bruce is serious about getting some rest.

"Fine," he says, looking unimpressed. "Six hours and then I'll meet you back in Engineering."

"Or twelve," Natasha suggests, but Bruce knows she isn't really pushing it.

"Six is fine," he says, trying to fight back a yawn. "It's almost fourteen hundred , so let's go with six hours from now."

He waits for Tony to nod and then stands up, collecting his barely touched plate despite Natasha's fleeting look of concern.

"I'll walk you," Natasha says. "I'm going that way. Tony," she waits for him to look at her, "Coulson's going to escort you to your quarters when you're done. Please stay there."

"For six hours," Tony sighs, stabbing at the contents of his plate. "Got it."

They leave Tony to finish his meal and Bruce nods politely to Lieutenant Commander Coulson as he passes them on his way to Tony's table. The two of them have known each other long enough that Bruce doesn't think Tony will give Coulson any trouble.

He detours to dispose of his plate and then follows Natasha back to the turbolift, where he leans back against the wall and closes his eyes for a split second. A sharp poke to his upper arm gets his attention.

"Don't fall asleep on me, Doc," Natasha says, but her expression is gentler than usual. "I'm not carrying you to your quarters."

Since joining this crew he's spent most of his time with Tony, but he's spent several afternoons and evenings with Natasha. He always enjoys her company, despite being convinced she could snap him like a twig.

"I'm awake," he says wearily. He suspects Natasha is only accompanying him to make sure he doesn't end up asleep on the turbolift floor. He's relatively certain she's meant to be on the bridge.

"You gotta stop letting Stark push you this hard," Natasha says, eyes on his and expression unreadable. "Few people can go without sleep the way he does."

He's tempted to point out that's why he's friends with Helen Cho, keeper of stimulants, but knows it's unwise.

"He has a point this time," Bruce says, as the turbolift arrives at his floor and the doors swoosh open. "We really do need to figure this out. You know we do."

"I know," she says, nudging him out of the lift. "But I meant what I said: the two of you know more about the Asgardians right now than anyone else in Starfleet. We need you both rested, not half out of your minds with exhaustion."

"I know," Bruce sighs, because he does. He may have settled in science, but first and foremost he's medically trained. It's how he first met Helen and eventually ended up on this ship.

"Get some rest, Bruce," Natasha says, patting his arm lightly, and he realises they've reached his quarters.

He nods and thanks Natasha for the escort, stepping inside as she turns to head back to the bridge.

The doors close behind him and he stumbles over to his bed, not bothering to change.

He tells the computer to wake him in five and a half hours and falls face down on his bed, asleep the moment his head hits the pillow.

**Author's Note:**

> I saw this prompt on comment_fic and fell in love with the idea! It's been a while since I watched any Trek but hopefully I dug enough details out of my memory banks to make this ficlet work :) This was entirely written and edited on my phone while on the tube, so I apologise for any grammatical errors I didn't catch! 
> 
> (Also, the title doesn't necessarily make any sense, I just couldn't think of anything else, heh.)


End file.
